Joint Replacement Surgery Specialists

What is Joint Replacement Surgery?

Joint replacement surgery is an option for severe, chronic joint pain and loss of function when less invasive treatments aren’t helping anymore.

In most patients who have joint pain and stiffness, conservative treatments like physical therapy and medication relieve joint pain and improve their range of motion. 

However, over time, these treatments start to be less effective for conditions like osteoarthritis, where the joints continue to degrade.

Joint replacement surgery involves removing damaged parts of the joint and replacing them with artificial components, known as prostheses. If part of the joint is in good enough condition, you might only need a partial joint replacement rather than the full replacement. 

The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre team also performs joint revisions to repair or replace joint implants that are worn or not working properly.

Hip, knee, and shoulder joints are the three most common joint replacement surgeries and have a proven record of being one of the most successful forms of surgery.

Artificial joints can last for 20 years or sometimes more depending on how you use your joints, helping you live an active, pain-free life.

Why Would I Need Joint Replacement Surgery?

Pain and loss of function are the main reasons why you would need joint replacement surgery. The chief cause of joint pain is arthritis. The main type, osteoarthritis, develops over time as the cartilage that provides a protective coating over the ends of the bones wears away.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks cells in your joints as though they were invading organisms. The result is a loss of the protective synovial membrane in the joints.

In both cases, the outcome is chronically painful joints that are hot, swollen, and stiff. Arthritis gets progressively worse, and the joints can also distort in time.

Other reasons you might need joint replacement surgery are if you suffer severe trauma to your joint cartilage, have numerous, repetitive minor injuries, developmental issues of your joints, or osteoporosis.

What Happens During Joint Replacement Surgery?

To perform a total joint replacement, your surgeon at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre removes the damaged cartilage and bone from your joint and replaces them with implants made of a combination of:

• Titanium
• Cobalt chrome
• Stainless steel
• Ceramic material
• Polyethylene

Your surgeon attaches the joint implant to your bone using acrylic cement, or by press-fitting the implant into your joint, so it looks and moves like a natural joint. 

Total joint replacement surgery takes several hours, and wherever possible, your surgeon at The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre uses minimally invasive techniques. 

They also use CAS (computer-assisted surgery) technology for knee and hip replacement, which gives them a clear view of the joint, surgical instruments, and implants.

If joint pain is making your life a misery, and nothing is helping, joint replacement surgery could be a good option. Call The Woodlands Sports Medicine Centre today to find out more or book an appointment online.